


One [K]night

by kuroeko



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, ina11fantasyweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28560072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuroeko/pseuds/kuroeko
Summary: 1st night just a talk,2nd night a little walk,3rd night a sweeping dance,4th night one life’s chance.
Relationships: Afuro Terumi | Aphrodi/Fubuki Shirou
Kudos: 8





	1. First Night

**Author's Note:**

> For Inazuma Eleven Fantasy Week!  
> Prompts associated with this one are:  
> Day 3 (1/13) royalty/thieves & outlaws - CH 1, 2  
> Day 5 (1/15) knights/gods - CH 3, 4, 5  
> I will upload the associated chapters on the prompt dates, the fic is fully written.  
> \---  
> I was struck with a vision and wrote this entire fic after stringing together the chosen prompts. I hope you enjoy the fic, as it was written a certain way to mirror Fubuki's emotions while interacting with Aphrodi as one reads.  
> \---  
> Thank you [ Enkidudu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enkidudu) for beta!

A black-tailed hawk wheeled through the air, feathers lifted by the powerful currents that gusted through the tight mountain range. Keen eyes honed in on the ground below, watching and waiting for its next meal. Movement caught its attention, and the great bird banked towards the right to better see the source. From its distant vantage point, the hawk could see a narrow road that cut through the dense evergreen forest. A path cleared long ago and kept open throughout time by persistent travelers that came through every year. 

This year was no exception, and as the hawk dropped down slightly in the air to hone in on its potential prey, it realized that the movement had come from a group of travelers. Disappointed, its wings beat in the air and carried itself off through another set of currents that would circle back to its usual hunting grounds. Humans only spelled trouble and scared away prey, and it would do well to stay away from them. 

“Oh, did you see that? That’s a black-tailed hawk, seems like spring really has come if it’s all the way in the mountains here.” A spectacled man wearing tight rows of brown dreads pulled back into a ponytail pointed up into the sky at a receding black dot. His announcement was met with an exasperated sigh from the knight riding next to him. One brown eye glanced up at the sky, then focused back onto their surroundings, trying to gauge any danger that might lurk between stoic tree trunks. 

“Kidou, only you can see that far away. Not all of us have advanced eyewear.” His horse echoed the statement, huffing slightly, as if mirroring its owner’s annoyance.

“Well, Kazemaru, I point it out so people with less than four eyes like me can appreciate it as well.” Kidou replied with a grin. “Why maybe even you, with one eye, can just picture it in your _mind’s_ eye and appreciate the majestic hawk.” 

“A hawk! That’s so cool, I wonder if this other country also breeds hawks like we do.” A booming voice cut through the two’s light bickering, and Kidou turned his attention to the source of it. The speaker was bright-eyed and still possessed a babyface at his age, and wore a gold circlet that rested over a head of rowdy brown hair. Two tufts of hair poked up on each side, while another hung over the front of the circlet, slightly obscuring the light engravings on it. 

“My king, they do, but a different type of hawk. I’m sure they’d be happy to show us to the mews if you expressed interest, though.” Kidou sat back as he spoke, pulling the heavy black cloak further around himself. “The point of announcing the hawk, by the way, is to note that spring has truly come as it is a migratory bird.” 

“Kidou! I told you to call me Endou, that’s the whole point of me having a normal name, y’know. You can slip back into that whole “my king” talk when we’re actually there.” The friendly king reached over and patted his friend on the back, then shivered and drew his arm back into the maroon cape that draped over most of his own body. 

“As much as you say spring is here, it sure doesn’t feel like it. I hope they have nice heated rooms when we get there!” 

Kazemaru stifled a laugh at this nonchalant response, as if they weren’t on an important trip to finish signing a treaty between their two countries. To Endou, this was all just a nice vacation, complete with some casual sightseeing. Hoofbeats coming from up ahead snapped the diligent knight back into action, though, and he rode closer to the king and his advisor to better protect them if need be. 

“Who comes!” Kazemaru challenged, long blue ponytail waving in the cold gusts of wind as he sat up straighter on the back of his horse. One hand on his sword, he readied himself just in case as a hooded figure appeared in the distance. The newcomer raised a hand, pulling down his hood in the process and greeting him in turn.

“It’s me, Gouenji. Like always.” Bright blonde hair stuck up like miniature peaks framing his tan face, lightning-shaped brows crinkling as he took in their little group. “Shouldn’t you recognize me by now? It’s only us out here, anyways.” 

“You’re late.” Kazemaru snapped, tightening his grip on the reins and causing his horse to snort slightly from distress. “And this is just protocol, which you should also follow anytime we switch positions instead of just letting us through willy nilly.” 

“Yeah yeah, anyways, as much as I am late, the day is also growing late.” Gouenji gestured up towards the previously blue sky that was now rapidly turning shades of purple and orange. The days were still short as they were in the beginning of spring, putting a damper on the speed at which they had expected to travel through the mountain pass.

“Already? Darn…” Endou stared up at the sky, then clapped his hands together, an action that his own horse was far too used to by now as it didn’t even startle at the sound. “Well! That means we gotta set up camp for the night, then!” 

“For someone raised in a castle, you’ve always liked camping outdoors much more than normal nobles,” Kidou observed, personally not being one that liked sleeping on just his cape on hard ground. He definitely preferred his cozy bedroom, surrounded by books and mechanical devices of the latest advancements to experiment with.

“It’s a nice change of pace, and no one can wake me up by telling me to get dressed in those stuffy robes and march me around down to the minute!” He felt much freer out here in the wilderness, where it was just him and his closest knights and advisor. People he could truly feel at ease with. 

“Let’s stop here and wait for Fubuki to catch up, then find a place to bed down for the night.” Kazemaru stopped his horse, waiting for the rest to do the same. Gouenji took the chance to forge off the path and start looking for a place on his own. Showoff.

“Speak of the devil, there he is!” Endou caught sight of the two tufts of silver hair that crested over the horizon, waving slightly in the wind. A horse plodded forward, white with dappled grey coloring along its back, looking much like the snowy lands that its owner had first come from. Sunlight glinting off of light metal plate mail was enough to show his job occupation, as Fubuki looked up and brightened at seeing his companions. A cape was folded over the back of the saddle, proving him to be a man of the mountains, as the cold didn’t seem to bother him at all. 

“Endou! I told you to be careful with the words you say now that we’re in another country.” Kidou began to admonish his king, but was interrupted when Fubuki’s voice carried forward to the little group. 

“Ah, are we stopping already for the night?”

“Yeah! Gouenji said the sun’s setting soon, and we should find a place to rest before we can’t see anymore.” Endou grinned and nodded as he replied. The shadows of the trees lining the path had already lengthened as they spoke, proving that the sun was disappearing at a rapid pace. 

“Sounds good, let’s go then. Did Gouenji go ahead and search for a spot?” Fubuki noted their fifth member was missing, and some of the brush near the path looked trampled by hooves. 

“Yeah, let’s go catch up with him. He leaves a trail of destruction in his wake so it’s not that hard to find the man.” Kazemaru sighed and daintily guided his own horse into the woods, wishing that the knight commander was less forward acting. 

“Kidou, don’t worry about it, it’s just us here right now, anyways!” Endou addressed his worrywart advisor as they threaded through the woods. “And besides, if the gods were real, I’m sure they’d take care of us. We’re good people, after all!” 

“There isn’t a scientific basis for gods, so I don’t believe it, but the people of this country are highly superstitious so we have to be aware of that.” Kidou replied with an exasperated sigh, having found this trip to be full of impromptu public relations education for his king. 

“Did Endou say something like “oh god” again?” Fubuki asked with a smile, having heard this spiel a couple times before by now. 

“No, but he did say the word ‘devil’ which might also be troublesome. Anyways, just try to keep things bland, ok?” The worried advisor hounded his king, who only spurred his own horse forward as Endou spotted a familiar horse already grazing in a slight clearing ahead. 

“Endou! Listen to me!” Urging his horse to catch up with his king’s own, Kidou chased after the errant ruler.

“It’s amusing how Kidou’s so caught up over this when he doesn’t even believe in gods himself,” Fubuki commented to Kazemaru, the two of them now side by side on the trail. 

“I’d rather not talk about this,” the fellow knight weakly replied as the dark woods closed in around them. 

“Do you believe in the gods, Kazemaru?” This hadn’t been discussed between them before, and Fubuki was curious to see what his friend’s viewpoint was.

“I'm just _superstitious_ , alright?” Kazemaru stiffly replied, his horse snorting in annoyance as the reins were too tight again. 

“Well, I won’t fault you for that.” Fubuki looked up and around, only seeing a normal set of woods around him. “I wonder how the people in this country live, thinking and worrying about the gods all day. We don’t really have an equivalent from where we’re from….”

“I see Gouenji trying to start a fire. I’m going to go help before he sets the whole underbrush aflame again.” With that, the blue-haired knight split off from Fubuki’s side and hurried his horse forward to join the rest of the group in settling in. Fubuki stared at his friend’s rapidly receding back for a moment, then looked up again at the darkened sky. Stars twinkled overhead in the clear night and the moon shone bright, softly illuminating their surroundings. A normal night, a normal world.

\---

Well practiced at falling asleep quickly after finishing the first watch, Fubuki wrapped his cape around him and closed his eyes. Within seconds, his breathing steadied and the slumbering knight entered the world of dreams. But this time, instead of the nothingness that usually greeted him, he found himself wandering through the forest again. The same as the one they’d entered to find the slight clearing.

 _Is this my dream? Everything’s the same…._ Fubuki looked around, noting the same night sky overhead and the identical arrangement of trees and branches all around him. Cautiously stepping forward, he followed the trampled trail under his feet towards the clearing, only to find it devoid of his fellow travelers or horses. He stopped at the edge, unsure as to whether this was a dream or reality, worried as to where everyone was. 

_I’ll just pinch myself, that’ll tell me if this is a dream or not._ Settling on this decision, Fubuki looked down and reached up with his fingers to pinch himself, but was stopped by a soft sound that echoed through the woods. 

_What?!_ Something soft and gold was curled up in the clearing, and clearly hadn’t been there before. Squinting, he saw that it seemed to be shaking. Long golden strands of hair, barefoot human feet, and thin arms and wrists….

 _A lost young maiden?_ Fubuki hurried forward, not wanting to ignore someone in need, no matter what they were. 

“Hello, are you alright? Are you lost?” He cautiously knelt down next to the huddled figure, simply accepting the soft gold glow that seemed to emanate from the long strands of hair. 

“Oh.” The voice echoed slightly in his ears, a light touch upon just this one spoken word that had him wondering where the difference from his own drab speech could be found. The figure lifted up their head, and piercing red eyes the color of rubies stared at him. A single long bang fell between those two eyes, then long golden lashes blinked and a smile spread on their face.

“So you decided to stay, because you were worried about me?” 

Fubuki wasn’t sure how to respond to this enigmatic statement, but decided that worrying a maiden wasn’t a good move. 

“Well, I was worried about you, so I came to help. What’s your name? Where’s your home?” He reached out a hand, hoping to bring this lost one home. 

“Hmmm...you can call me Aphrodi! What’s yours? My home is a little further in. That’s why I can’t come greet you yet.” A decidedly unmaidenly huff came from the speaker, who stood up and brushed aside some stray hairs that were caught in the simple long white shift that they wore. A slit down the front that should’ve been fastened with ribbons was left undone, and Fubuki caught a glimpse of a very flat chest. Not a maiden. 

“Oh?” The moment Fubuki thought that, a mischievous smile spread on Aphrodi’s face. “Not interested anymore?” 

Fubuki blushed as he stood up as well, wondering if his thoughts really showed so easily on his face. 

“It’s not a matter to me. I’m Fubuki Shirou, you can call me Fubuki.” He answered, trying to hide the creeping heat that blossomed along his cheeks. “Anyone who needs me, I’d be happy to help.” 

“Oh how _knightly_ ,” Aphrodi responded with amusement. A cool wind blew through, and yet those long golden locks didn’t move at all. Fubuki felt it, but only across his face, the rest of him was still nice and warm, almost as if he was wrapped in a cloak….

“Ah. How bothersome.” Head turning upwards, Aphrodi stared up at the darkened sky where there were almost no stars anymore. “It seems like my time is up, or your companions are quite persistent in getting you awake. I’ll see you soon.” 

“Wait, what do you mean by that?” Fubuki asked, moving forward to try and catch him with his hand. Aphrodi simply smiled and stepped back just out of his reach, slowly blinking as he stared at Fubuki, who found that he couldn’t stop his body from pitching forward. Bracing himself for the hard impact against the forest floor, he simply fell through it, then woke up with a gasp. Early dawn light streamed through the upper reaches of the forest, slivers of it reaching their little clearing. Kazemaru and Kidou were already up and about, getting breakfast ready. The former had been using his own cape to fan the flames, the wind being what had eventually woken up Fubuki from his confusing sleep. 

_How strange, was that all a dream?_ Fubuki thought, slowly sitting up and ruffling his hair. It had felt so real, but if he had to gauge how long he’d spent talking to Aphrodi, it had only felt like a couple minutes. But dawn was here, and that meant several hours had passed….

“Oh Fubuki, you’re awake! Come over here and have some tea. Gouenji’s also awake, but Endou’s still sleeping.” Sharp-eyed as ever, Kidou called over to the freshly awoken knight and beckoned him to the warm fire. “We have a long day ahead, we’re finally entering their country!”

“How do you know that? It all looks the same to me.” Gouenji grumbled as he finished checking over the horses and sat down to join their huddled group. 

“Well if you just count how many days we’ve traveled, and our initial average distance…,” Kidou began to lecture the unwilling student, as Fubuki thought about how many days they’d have left up in the mountain pass. If he thought through Kidou’s math, they’d have about four more days before they were out of the mountains. 

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Gouenji waved a hand at Kidou, who had somehow tangented into river flow directions and how they’d be able to use that as well to gauge their travel direction and speed. “We just have to get the horses to gallop, and we’ll outrun your calculations!”

“That’s not what I meant!” Kidou replied, as the rest of the group devolved into laughter, accidentally waking up their king for some early morning tea. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [mews](http://www.themodernapprentice.com/mews.htm) \- the name for pens used to keep hawks or falcons. Good reference link.


	2. Second Night

The lone black-tailed hawk drifted through the changing air currents, in search of a meal again. The forest was dense here, far from the winding path from yesterday, causing it to fly lower to better seek out prey. A strange noise, however, emanated from below the thick tree cover, and the hawk flapped its great wings in alarm and headed for a different area to search over for the day. 

“Damn, Gazel, you think that hawk heard us?” The speaker dropped down from the tree trunk he’d been trying to climb up on, his hip checking his friend neatly in the face. 

“ _Burn!_ ” Gazel pushed the feisty tree-climber to the side, rubbing his face with his other hand. “If that idiot bird hadn’t heard you by now, he sure would’ve when you ass planted in my face!”

“Aw c’mon, I was just trying to see if I could maybe get higher and throw a stone at it or something.” Burn grinned, knowing that that was a stupid thought in the first place, but he’d still wanted to get a better look at the faraway hawk. His bright red head of hair was hidden under the hood of a long brown cape that had seen better days, tattered at the edges and sporting some scorch marks along the back. Gazel’s telltale white head of hair was hidden the same way, although his cape had notches along the edges, from when they’d been caught in some minor scuffles. 

“You two, be quiet.” Their third and final member finally spoke, his cape looking newer than the rest, although the hood was up as well. Piercing green eyes looked over the two misfits as he tried to figure out what to do with them. It was hard to lead when he was the only one that listened in the first place.

“I know Reize and Desarm are gone right now, but that means we have to work harder so we can put food on the table for them too, alright?” His hood began to slip, but the tired leader caught it before too much of his red hair appeared.

“Grannnn this place gives me the creeps,” Burn complained, crossing his arms and sitting down on the damp forest floor. “We haven’t even seen anyone come through the pass! And then there was that freak accident with the rocks that got Desarm-”

”Yeah! And how Reize almost got wrapped into that tiny stream-” Gazel pitched in his own opinion, having felt like something was watching them ever since they’d made it over the mountain peak. 

“Ok, ok.” Gran quickly held up his hands, trying to quell the deluge of complaints. “I know, but we weren’t doing well liberating belongings over there, so we had to move further in. Besides, spring is here, and apparently people from this country are quite wealthy, so we might be able to find a couple fat sheep to fleece and head back home to meet up with Reize and Desarm sooner than later.” 

“Ugh, I hate fleecing sheep, remember that job? That farmer didn’t even pay us!” 

“I never want to work with animals again, that’s why we steal, I mean ‘liberate’, right, Gran?!” The two began to complain again, going over past odd jobs they’d had that they’d never been able to hold down for long. 

Gran sighed, wishing he’d learned from these two’s reactions to Reize’s idioms that even metaphors wouldn’t stick to their heads. Sometimes he wished they’d finally get someone wealthy, then settle off with the rest of the orphans deep in the mountains and live off of the land. He didn’t enjoy doing this, but one had to find a way to live in the harshness of life.

“Ok, whatever, c’mon now you two. Let’s go head over to the path and scope it out. We’ll be sure to find someone soon….” The three of them gathered up their belongings and began to weave through the forest. Gran hoped that by tiring them out through walking, they’d focus more on conserving energy and therefore complain less. A futile wish, but one could hope.

\---

Fubuki yawned slightly as he bedded down for the night. They’d covered a lot of ground today, even passing the mountain peak which officially marked the border into the new country. Nothing had changed in the air around them, as borders were just human designations after all. He was third watch tonight, so there was a bit of time to sleep before his turn. Fragmented recollections from yesterday’s dream danced through his head as his eyes closed. It had felt so real, and yet so strange at the same time. 

“I wonder if I’ll dream of him again,” Fubuki murmured out loud to himself, right before falling asleep so quickly, he could barely finish the sentence.

\---

Stifling heat crept up all around him and Fubuki awoke gasping for air, confused as to why he was overheating under the same cape he always slept under. Pulling off the heavy folds, he sat up and took in the cool night air. The sky was dark and stars twinkled up ahead, so far removed from where he sat on the forest floor. 

_Might do me some good to take a walk, cool down a bit,_ Fubuki thought to himself as he quietly stood up while shaking out the cape. Wrapping it around his shoulders, he went over to where Gouenji was keeping watch.

“It’s not your time yet, you can sleep a bit more, Gouenji remarked, waving at the sky above. The moon hadn’t moved past the designated treetop yet from his angle. 

“Somehow I overheated a bit, I’m going to patrol around our camp and cool off.” Fubuki replied, pulling the cowl over his head. “I’ll be back before the watch change.”

“Be careful.” The fellow knight remarked, watching as the lone figure headed out into the woods. He wasn’t worried about Fubuki holding his own in case some unsavory types were out there, but…. Shivering slightly, Gouenji pulled his own cape tighter around himself. People from the icy lands must be different if they could overheat during cold mountaintop nights. 

\---

Step by step through the silent forest, Fubuki wondered where all the nighttime animals had gone. Usually the night was full of activity with owls flitting about and rodents running through the undergrowth. To be this quiet was uncharacteristic. He would just take a little walk around their camp before heading back, but truthfully the heat that had woken him wasn’t disappearing. Musing over whether to take off his cape or not, he nearly ran into someone that definitely hadn’t been in his path before.

“Wh-!” Drawing out the short dagger at his waist, Fubuki looked forward and prepared for close combat, only to be met with a familiar pair of red eyes. 

“Oh noooo someone save meeeeee,” Aphrodi feigned a swoon, lifting up his thin wrist and pressing it against his forehead, complete with a lifted pinky.

“Aphrodi!” Fubuki cried out, scandalized, then immediately hushed his voice to not draw even more attention. “What are you doing out here?! I—where did you even—” He looked around, unsure how he could’ve missed a softly glowing figure in the dark woods. 

“Is this a dream?” Reaching out, he grasped that thin shoulder and found it cold to the touch. _A ghost?!_ But ghosts were malevolent creatures and also definitely _not_ real, so it couldn’t be…. Maybe Aphrodi was just cold from the night. 

“Do you want this to be a dream?” 

There was a strange lilt to the question, and Fubuki immediately refocused on his surroundings. 

“No..?” 

“That’s great then,” Aphrodi smiled at him, a smile tinged by the moonlight, and a cold hand reached up and grasped his own. “Why don’t we take a walk?” 

“I’m not sure, I have to go back soon, it’s almost my watch. Actually, it’s not safe for someone alone out here, why don’t you come back with me? My group is traveling through the mountain pass, once we’re out I’m sure we can find a village that’ll help you get home.” He looked over Aphrodi while speaking, noting the distinct lack of weapons, or anything other than the white shift, really. Not even shoes… but he didn’t seem to be a peasant. There was an air of elegance that belied the simplicity of the shift that fell loosely around him as they walked.

“You’ll make it back in time.” A simple statement, but Fubuki suddenly felt at ease as they walked through the woods. Tree branches passed overhead, what direction they were going in only apparent from the position of the moon shining through from above. 

“Now, tell me about yourself! Where are you from? What’s your country like?” Aphrodi smiled over at him, a hint of childish curiosity showing through. “What are the foods and customs there? Does everyone wear ugly cloaks like you?”

“My cloak is NOT ugly, it’s like this so I blend in with my surroundings,” Fubuki protested, drawing the mottled navy and black cloth further around himself. The burning heat was gone, but the nighttime cold wasn’t bothering him either. It was as if everything was just right. 

“I’m from the ice mountains up north...far away from this mountain range. It’s quite similar actually, but there’s no snow here right now. It’s always snowy where I’m from.” He began to explain, then suddenly wondered why he was so willingly answering these questions.

“Actually, where are _you_ from?” He asked Aphrodi, stopping in place and pulling the wandering figure back. “Do you live in these mountains? Why were you in my dream?” Fubuki let go of their clasped hands as he spoke, realizing the absurdity of his situation. The solitary figure looked at him, silent in the filtered moonlight. 

“Aphro—” Fubuki started again, hoping to get an answer, only to see Aphrodi reach over and then flick his forehead. 

“What!” Reeling from the shock, Fubuki pressed a hand over his forehead and saw Aphrodi hunched over slightly while trembling with laughter.

“So serious!” The adult child teased him. “You worry about so many things, typical of your kind.” A cool wind blew through, and Aphrodi straightened up and stretched, open palms facing the night sky above. 

“I was happy to see you again tonight, you’re even cuter in person.” Aphrodi grinned, letting his hands fall to his side and clasping them behind himself. “Maybe I’ll see you again soon.” 

The familiar words rang in Fubuki’s ears and he was gripped with a sense of deja vu. Aphrodi began to walk off along the trees, this time not holding Fubuki’s hand. With each step, he seemed to grow impossibly far away.

“Aphrodi, wait! What do you mean by all that?” Fubuki chased after the receding figure, eyes fixated on the golden shine of hair that swayed in front of him. A noise above momentarily startled him as he ran after Aphrodi. Stopping to regain his bearings, Fubuki glanced up and saw the great white moon. Looking back down through the woods again, he found that the glowing figure was gone. Noise started up all around him as nighttime animals flitted about, a cacophony compared to the deafening silence from before. Taking careful steps forward, he entered the edge of a familiar clearing where he’d started his walk just a little while ago. Gouenji still sat at the same post, his cloak drawn tighter than before.

“Gouenji! I’m sorry I took a while. Am I late for my watch?” Fubuki looked up as he spoke and saw that...the moon hadn’t moved much at all.

“Huh?” Lightning brows furrowed as Gouenji took in his fellow knight’s visible panic. “You just left! Are you alright? You look like you saw a ghost….”

Fubuki reached up and lightly rubbed his cheek with his palm, still warm from earlier when he’d ran after Aphrodi. It wasn’t a dream this time, and yet none of this added up. Lightly pinching himself, he winced and stared back down at a very concerned Gouenji.

“I’ll...take a quick nap then. Just wake me up when it’s time.” He went back to his earlier spot and laid down on the forest floor. Ignoring the worried stare from his fellow knight, Fubuki closed his eyes and willed himself back into sleep, but it didn’t come so easily this time.


	3. Third Night

Kazemaru found a river while scouting the path ahead in the afternoon, and Kidou decided to stop early for the day so everyone could refresh themselves and refill water supplies. Despite having been on the road for several days, all of the group except one opted to just towel themselves off on the side. Only Fubuki easily waded into the river, feeling the icy water rush all around him. Being from the mountains, he wasn’t bothered by early spring melt water, and found it strangely comforting as it reminded him of home. Spreading out his hands under the gently flowing water, he marveled at how clear it was, enough that he could easily see the gravelly underbed. Silt disturbed from under the gravel floated away as little brown puffs in the current as he stepped deeper into the river to explore it. 

“Fubuki! Don’t wander too far, the river is unpredictable!” Kidou called over from the riverbank where he was filling up water bags. Ever the worrywart, despite being the one who tripped over his own cloak the most often. 

“Alright!” Fubuki called back, giving a wave of acknowledgement at the same time. Clear water splashed into the air as his hand fell into the river again. Small fish darted by, ready to grow large and silver throughout the spring months. No rivergrass was present here, up high in the mountains, but straggly brush grew densely on the sides, eagerly partaking in the river water. 

_So different from where I’m from,_ Fubuki thought, memories of his homeland closer than normal after the conversation from last night. He wondered how the people here survived the winter, and how harsh and long that season lasted in these mountains. How did they dress? What did they eat? Questions echoed in his mind from when Aphrodi had asked him the same. 

_They can’t all dress like him...that’s far too cold._ He focused back on the gently flowing river, then decided to actually wash himself off instead of acting like a river blockade. It was quick work, rubbing with a rag as the water wound all around him. A bit of leftover soap got rid of the dust and dirt in his hair, and soon he was clean enough to be admitted back on shore. 

“Don’t know how you can stand the water, I can’t even wash my hair, it’s too cold.” Kazemaru complained, brushing his long blue hair as he spoke. 

“It’s not too bad, at least there aren't chunks of ice in it.” Fubuki replied with a wry smile, having gone through much colder waters than this just for fun. “You should just dip your toes into it. Maybe by tomorrow, you’d be able to stand up to your waist without uttering a noise.”

“That’s a horrible idea!” Came the expected retort, but the two of them laughed together at the same time. All in good fun, after all.

\---

Fubuki couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, ruby red ones appeared in response, and glistening gold hair seemed to draw across his very eyelids. Trying desperately to fall asleep, he finally gave up and sat up from his spot. 

_I’m second watch tonight, I need all the sleep I can get…._ Standing up, he left the cape behind this time as the night air seemed warm. Kazemaru was sitting at the designated watchpost and eyed his approach. 

“I can’t sleep.” Fubuki explained with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll do a light patrol, maybe it’s the lack of a full day of riding for me.” 

“On foot?” Kazemaru asked, glancing over at the resting horses that were loosely tethered to the side. 

“Yeah, I did the same yesterday, I’ll be fine. I’ll be back before my watch.” He didn’t even bother to look up at the moon this time. There was no reason to set himself up for even more confusion if he kept tight track of time. 

“Take care, maybe bring your cloak, it’s quite cold still at night….” 

“I’ll be alright, I think my body is used to this weather.” Fubuki smiled and gave a weak wave as he headed off into the forest. The river would be a good path to follow, one he couldn’t get lost on while walking off excess energy. Heading in that direction, he tried to focus on his goal and ignore the surroundings, taking solace in the fact that he could hear the nighttime animals tonight. Fallen pine branches snapped softly under his shoes, mixing into the slight mulch below. He took a deep breath and let it out upon catching sight of the river, the flowing water within sparkling and reflecting back the bright moonlight from above. 

A few more steps forward, and he was out of the woods and on the thin stretch of riverbank. As his shoe crunched onto gravel, the woods quieted around him and the sound of his soles echoed throughout. 

Fubuki suddenly whirled around, one hand on his sword, only to see nothing behind him. Nothing at all...except-! Hurrying back into the woods, he darted around tree trunks before catching sight of a piece of white cloth that flitted by, just out of his reach. 

“Aphrodi!” Fubuki called, annoyed at this repeat offender. Stopping his chase, he looked around the silent forest again, wondering if this had become a game of hide and seek. Wracking his brain, Fubuki decided to do the sensible thing and walked back towards the riverbank. He put on an air of indifference, not even bothering to turn his head when a light wind tugged at his silver bangs. Just before he stepped back out of the forest, a warm hand caught his wrist. 

“There you are!” Fubuki whirled around, grasping Aphrodi’s other free hand, recognizing the playful presence by now. Now they were stuck gripping one another, but the mysterious man only laughed in response.

“I thought you were someone serious! And now you’re willing to play games with me?” Aphrodi loosened his grip on Fubuki’s wrist, letting his own hand trail down before clasping their hands together again. Pulling the knight deeper into the woods with both hands, he looked at him with a coy smile.

“Were you going to take a bath again? A moonlit one, maybe I should’ve let you go.” 

Fubuki startled slightly at this question, wondering how Aphrodi knew he’d taken a bath earlier today, when no one had been found during their earlier reconnaissance. Yet every time he asked a direct question, Aphrodi would disappear. He had to be careful, to learn a little more about this mysterious person…. 

They stepped into a moonlit glade, larger than any of the clearings in this forest he’d ever seen before. The night wind was warm and wound around them, ruffling his own hair and tugging on Aphrodi’s long locks and wide sleeves. Aphrodi pulled him forward, laughing a little at Fubuki’s clumsy step.

“Not much of a dancer, are you?” 

They began to step through the glade, Fubuki letting go of Aphrodi’s wrist and dropping his hand down to rest on the man’s waist instead. Long hair brushed against the back of his hand, catching slightly on the rough calluses from his past.

“Knights don’t dance.” Fubuki replied, relaxing slightly with their swaying movements. 

“What a shame, I’m sure you’d make a maiden swoon if you were an available option.” Aphrodi smiled over at him, batting a veil of golden eyelashes. Used to this by now, Fubuki simply pushed the capricious man slightly back, tipping him along where his hand supported the waist. 

“Well, you just swooned, so I think my job here is done.” Feigning indifference, he began to let go, but was pulled back by Aphrodi’s grip on his hand.

“That’s very unknightly of you! Nothing like the first time we met,” Aphrodi complained, drawing him into a slow spin. Moonlight glinted off of the crown of his golden hair, brushing a silver halo into existence. Fubuki wondered if his hair looked like that as well, but Aphrodi’s hair was so soft and silky to the touch. The effect of moonlight on his own coarse strands must be nothing alike. 

“Would it be more knightly to invite you back to camp with me?” He asked gently, trying to nudge the unknown being in the right direction. “To keep you safe and company?” They pulled into a wide arc, moving along the edge of the glade as stubby grass brushed against the sides of his shoes. 

“What if you stayed here with me instead and kept _me_ company?” Aphrodi asked in response, tilting his head to the side and letting some hair slip further along his shoulder as they moved. 

“To keep you safe?” Fubuki clarified, letting a smile slip from his lips. 

“To keep _you_ safe.” An unexpected reply, coupled with him getting pulled closer towards Aphrodi. 

“And why would that be?” Fubuki held on tighter to their clasped hands, worried the flitting spirit would disappear the moment he asked a direct question.

“Because there’s desperate pests out here that are taking a while to get rid of,” Aphrodi calmly stated, ruby eyes flickering with annoyance. “And I don’t want them to hurt you, since-”

Fubuki found himself forcefully pulled forward, then soft lips met his own, and a kiss was exchanged under the cover of moonlight.

“-I’ve grown to like you, Fubuki.” A teasing smile danced on Aphrodi’s lips, ones that had just kissed his own. Heat spread from Fubuki’s neck to his ears, settling on his cheek and burning red in the silver light. The first time he’d ever heard Aphrodi speak his name, and he wanted to hear it again and again.

“I-,” Fubuki found himself at a loss of words. A confession from someone he didn’t even know, and yet he felt like he _did_ know some things. Day by day, he learned a little more. 

“Come, stay here with me.” Aphrodi pulled him into a hug, smiling down at him. “Didn’t you say it’s similar to your home? I’ll make it similar if you stay with me, as much as I can.”

“I...I don’t dislike you.” Fubuki replied, head spinning from all these sudden decisions and declarations. “But I have to send my king safely through the mountain pass. We’ll come back by the same route, though, so if you’re still here….”

“As I thought, it’s hard for a knight to stray from their duty.” Aphrodi sighed, pushing them apart and staring at his warped reflection in Fubuki’s metal chestplate. 

“Aphrodi….”

“You’ll come back though, right? Visit me one more time?” The sadness from before was instantly dispelled, as the thought of Fubuki passing through again made Aphrodi roll excitedly on the balls of his heels. 

“Of course, we’ll come back through the pass again.” The faithful knight promised, not wanting to disappoint the one in front of him.

“I see.” A tug on his hand had him letting go of Aphrodi’s waist, and the two of them walked through the forest again. The conscientious guide showed him through the trees, greeting a few and telling him their names and ages. Fubuki had given up on figuring out what Aphrodi was by now. The fact that they were strolling through the forest together, even if it was just a dream, was enough to set him at peace. He listened and smiled, happy to partake in this one-sided conversation that ended when a familiar clearing appeared in the distance.

“Well, I’ll see you soon.” Aphrodi let go of their clasped hands, a bitter look hidden away by the long bangs that fell around his downturned face. 

“Aphrodi.” Fubuki hesitated, then gently lifted up his hand and tilted up that slim chin. Leaning forward, he gifted a little parting kiss. 

“I’ll see you soon,” he promised, taking comfort in the hope that sparked in those ruby eyes. Stepping off into the forest, he slipped into the clearing, where Kazemaru teased him for turning back so quickly for his cloak. Fubuki simply smiled and shook his head, going back to his spot and closing his eyes, this time to a dreamless sleep.


	4. Fourth Night

“Gran! I think I see some fat sheep!” Burn’s whisper might as well have been an act, as Gran could hear him all the way from in the shallow dry gully. They’d decided on hand signals for a reason, but sometimes Burn just liked to hear his own voice. 

Getting up from where he’d been sharpening his chipped sword, Gran sheathed it and climbed some stray roots up to eye the distant path. At the head was a lone knight, cloak drawn all around his armor. The formal and stiff riding posture, however, was enough indication of his rank. Rounding the corner a bit farther down was a group of three, their horses more tightly clustered and the three riders heavy in discussion with one another. Gran’s eyes caught onto the glint of gold on one of the rider’s heads and he noticed how fine all their horses were. 

“Those don’t look like knights. Well, one of them does. But the other two look soft.” Gazel had hiked himself up to also take a better look at their new target. None of the travelers seemed focused on checking the path, a mistake that would only benefit their little thieving band. 

“This is perfect, and just four of them as well! Only two of them are knights, Gazel. If we can get their horses and belongings, we probably won’t have to liberate for the rest of the year!” As Gran spoke, he felt the side of the gully begin to sag under his crossed arms. Rapidly crawling up, he tugged on Burn and Gazel’s cloaks to force them to follow suit. Too slow, though, as the dirt edges of the gully poured in over them. Newly exposed tree roots stuck out of the side, wilting away from seeing sunlight for the first time in their lives, before being grasped by a human hand that appeared from within the loose dirt. 

“Gah! That was close, almost got buried alive,” Burn joked, letting Gran pull him out of the dirt that piled all around him. The gully had luckily been shallow enough that not too much dirt had fallen in over the side. 

“Ugh, this forest gives me the creeps,” Gazel muttered, rolling onto the edge of the gully and dumping dirt out of his shoe. He’d rather get it all out at once than wait for soil to seep out of all the holes on the side. 

“Whatever, after we get that group, we’ll leave this side of the pass for good.” Gran told them, standing up straight and looking back towards the path. Turning back around to address his crew, he missed seeing the last knight that followed up the main group. The last knight, who heard a bit of an unusual commotion coming from the edge of the forest.

“Just four people, huh. We’ll attack at night. Let’s skirt through the forest and try to intercept their camping spot.” The three of them loped off through the woods, having surveyed this area the day before and easily guessing where the new travelers might stop for the night. There was a nice clearing with a pond up ahead...a perfect rest stop for anyone, even thieves. 

Fubuki sat quietly on his still horse, straining to hear the voices in the wind. It was difficult to make anything out, but one thing was for certain. They weren’t alone in this forest today.

\---

Night had fallen and a cold wind blew through their huddled encampment. No fires tonight for fear of giving away their location, so cold food was shared between all of them. They’d opted out of the inviting clearing and managed to find a small spot between large tree trunks to rest for the night. The less spread out they were, the better to defend themselves after Fubuki brought news of thieves in their midst. 

“We still need to rest, but be careful on watch tonight.” Gouenji instructed the rest of the group. “Keep an eye out for anything odd.” Clouds drifted across the night sky, large patches of it obscuring the moon and making it difficult for them to easily spot any intruders in the forest. 

“I’ll take first watch.” Fubuki offered, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep well anyways. If he stayed up a bit longer, he might be tired enough to fall asleep without worrying too much. 

“I’ll take second.” Kazemaru covered up a yawn. He’d talked enough for the day with his king. Even if they were old friends, they still had plenty to discuss which had worn him out.

“Then I’m third.” Gouenji finished up the watch roster and immediately went to settle down next to a tree trunk. This time, though, his sword was close at hand. 

“Thanks, you three.” Endou gratefully addressed his loyal knights, knowing he could count on them for protection no matter what. “Tomorrow, we’ll be out of the mountain pass. Right, Kidou?”

“Yes, actually it’s about half a day’s ride out to the first outpost. If we could gallop all the way, it would only be a quarter...but we need our horses to stay fresh and healthy.” Spectacles flashed as the eager advisor relayed this information, then settled down in his chosen spot. “So tomorrow, we’ll all be able to sleep with a roof over our heads!”

“I’ll make sure they put you in the stables if you don’t stop talking, Kidou.” Gouenji muttered, already trying to fall asleep. “It’s got a roof, after all.”

“I don’t think the horses would like that,” Endou noted, causing a round of suppressed laughter in their group. Fubuki smiled, unsheathing his sword and beginning to pace carefully around the encampment. At least everyone was in good spirits, it took the edge off of his own nervousness.

\---

“I thought you said there were four of them, why is there a fifth one!” Gazel hissed, having come back from scouting out the impromptu campsite. A lone third knight leaned against a tree trunk, alert to any of the going-ons nearby. Gazel hadn’t dared creep too close, in case he gave away the fact that their thieving band was right nearby.

“Maybe I just can’t count,” Gran replied with an exasperated sigh. “But that just means one extra horse to take and sell, so it’s to our benefit, anyways. Now, that one doesn’t look too seasoned, so I think we can just sneak around the back and get the rest of them first.” His mind was on the gold circlet on their leader’s head. _That_ would sell for a pretty penny.

“I like the cape of the one who’s guarding right now,” Burn commented, not even able to make out its color in the dark. “I want that.”

“You can clothes shop whatever you want once we get them all bundled up.” Dusting off his sides, Gran stood up, ready to begin the ambush. “Let’s go.”

\---

A snap of a twig was the only warning Fubuki got before the thieves were upon them. Lifting his sword, he cried out to rouse the rest.

“Attack! Attack! Wake up!” Rushing forward, steel rang against steel as the closest thief parried his blow. The opponent’s sword was chipped and worn, a heavy contrast to his own meticulously clean blade. Similar teal eyes glared at him as their hood slipped off and a white, windblown head of hair appeared. 

“Tch, you just couldn’t stay quiet, could you, mister third knight?” The speaker caught Fubuki’s blade in a notch and tried to twist it out of his hands. Gripping tightly with both hands, the valiant knight managed to resist the movement and wrenched both of their blades backwards with a powerful pull. The thief stumbled at the unexpected movement, un-notching his sword and warily eyeing Fubuki. 

The rest of the group had woken and were trying to fight off the other two thieves. One had gotten close to their horses and had slashed the reins, intent on making off with them. Another was trying to approach their packs, stashed in a tight circle behind a bristling guard of two loyal knights. Gouenji eyed the approaching thief, a mean glint showing in his own eyes. 

“It’s not very nice of you to attack in the dark!” 

Everyone startled at this random declaration, coming from none less than the king himself. Kazemaru had to hide a smile in such a serious situation, as of course Endou would try to talk things out first.

“We don’t have a choice, and all we want are your belongings.” What seemed to be the leader of the group addressed them, leveling his sword and pointing at their packs. “We’ll leave all of you alive, provided you give us what you have - including that gold on your head.” Kidou stiffened at this statement, surprised that the thieves had no idea who they were if they didn’t recognize Endou’s circlet. 

“If you had asked nicely, we may have even been able to become friends!” Endou shook his head sadly, the tip of his sword swinging in an arc to his side. “But now that you’ve attacked us, the best we can do is to take you all in!” With that declaration, Gouenji rushed forward, leaving Kazemaru to defend the king and his advisor. Fubuki stepped forward as well, swinging his blade at his assailant. 

One person everyone had forgotten, however, was the horse thief. Burn stared at the scene of chaos in front of him, then decided to help out the less capable of the two. Creeping up behind the lone guard knight, he noticed the nice, soft riding shoes on the knight’s feet. A slight lift of his sword as he crept forward to the dueling duo was all it took. Neither of them had noticed him yet, and he quickly swung his sword, the blade slicing neatly into the knight’s calf. 

Fubuki cried out as white-hot pain lanced through his leg, falling to the side as he tried to defend from the barrage of swings from the front. A blow glanced off of his chestplate, dangerously close to his neck. Sweat dripped from his face and neck, as heat seemed to rise to a fever pitch around him. 

_Am I dreaming again? Is it because I’m losing so much blood?_ His vision blurred, and all he could hear was the thrumming of blood through his ears as the forest floor came into focus all around him. But the cries around him had turned into ones of confusion and surprise, and as he blinked once, twice, he saw that fire had sprung up all around them. Golden fire, that lit up their little patch of forest and lapped at his injured leg. Pain seemed to melt away, and he found himself breathing deeper and relaxing, as the forest floor shifted to provide proper comfort.

“Don’t sleep yet, my little knight.” 

_Who?_

A glowing figure with long golden hair and wearing a white shift seemed to step lightly out of the deep night sky. Six wings sprouted from their back, pure white feathers ruffling slightly with each step that they took to arrive onto the forest floor. One hand rose into the air as the visitor from the skies spoke. 

“I’ve tolerated this for long enough. We aren’t to meddle between humans, but harming one I love crosses the line. _Begone._ ” 

A snap of the fingers, and a heaviness seemed to set in over Fubuki’s entire body. Something pressed him down, lulling him to relax and let go. He couldn’t see the thieves anymore, but could see his friends, all safe and sound as their chests rose and fell in their sleep. Fubuki fought the urge to sleep, wanting to know who this was, and why they had come just at that moment. Blinking wearily, he forced his eyelids open again after an eternity and found himself gazing into a pair of ruby eyes. A single golden bang fell across the front, and a familiar figure squatted next to him with a sad smile.

_Ah...Aphrodi?!_

“I’m sorry, Fubuki. I never wanted them to hurt you first. I tried to get rid of them, but there were too many others to work around. Some who wanted to hurt you, and some who didn’t want to meddle with humans.” A slim hand reached forward and brushed aside his bangs. Then soft lips kissed his cheek, and Fubuki felt a strange warmth spread from there that made him feel at ease. 

“I’ve given you my blessing and sent them out of my domain, but I can’t stay for much longer. Not like this.” Aphrodi stood, looking up towards the night sky. The flames would last for the rest of the night, and the white smoke would call up help from the outpost when morning came. They would be safe now, without a doubt.

Fubuki struggled to speak, but sleep called for him to enter a world very different from the forest of golden flames that currently protected them. Finally giving in, his eyes closed, and everything seemed to melt away around him.

“Perhaps we’ll meet again, Fubuki, if you come find me.” A soft farewell was the last thing the weary knight heard, ringing in his ears and lulling him to sweet dreams. 


	5. Goodknight

Light chatter entered Fubuki’s chaotic dream, where he was swimming through a sea of clouds and trying to catch little bunnies that jumped out of them. Bunnies that sprouted wings and flew away the moment they saw him. Then one giant bunny appeared, shining and golden with a smile on its face, flapping its wings and lifting off into the distance out of his reach. 

_My king!_ Fubuki startled, reaching out to try and wave the bunny reminiscent of his charge back down. But suddenly he was falling through the clouds, and memories of last night rushed back into his mind as the clouds dissipated into darkness. He opened his eyes in shock, gasping for air and realizing that no open sky could be seen from where he laid. Only old roof rafters, wood dark with age, greeted him. Confused, he shifted and realized linen blankets were drawn over him, and that he was located on a sturdy wooden cot in a room full of identical beds. Beds that were mostly empty, except for the one next to him where some familiar faces were staring at him.

“Oh! Fubuki’s awake!” Endou was the first to speak, jumping up from the side of the cot and coming over to see him. Two others standing near the far cot made the switch and clustered around his own. 

“My king! Kazemaru? Gouenji?” Endou seemed to be in good spirits, looking no worse for the wear.

“You finally woke up! How are you feeling?” Kazemaru peered at Fubuki’s face, while Gouenji helped pour a glass of water and passed it over to the confused patient.

“I’m...fine?” Truthfully, Fubuki felt like he’d just had a good night’s rest. “I had a weird dream, but I’m fine. Endou was a flying bunny.” 

“I don’t know if you’re fine,” Kazemaru replied while furrowing his brow. 

“Where are we? Are we safe? Oh! What happened after that night we were attacked?” 

Then part of the memory gripped Fubuki, and he tore aside the sheets to stare at his leg. He’d been changed into a shift, and the white hem was easily lifted aside to expose his calf. It was fine and whole, as if nothing had ever marred it. Everyone stared at it in silence as Fubuki ran a hand along his smooth skin.

“Everyone’s fine and we’re safe. None of the thieves were caught, but our belongings were all there and our horses are being taken care of in the stables here.” Gouenji spoke up, informing his knight on the latest developments. “It’s been about two days since we—”

“We’ve made it to the new country!” Endou enthusiastically cut into the conversation, finally contributing what he knew. “Their morning patrol saw white smoke coming from where we were and came to help us. They brought us back to the outpost, where we all just needed to rest a bit, as none of us had any injuries. You’ve been sleeping for a while, though. Kidou went to fetch the healer again to check on you, they’ll be glad to see you’re up!”

“What about me?” The knowledgeable advisor asked while walking back into the room with a stranger. A typical white gown with red embroidery edging indicated that the sweet-faced girl with long purple hair was the resident healer today.

“Oh you’re up and awake! That’s wonderful, how do you feel?” She rushed straight to Fubuki’s side, pressing a hand to his forehead and checking his temperature.

“A-ah, fine—” Fubuki started, when Endou suddenly leaned forward over the bed to stare at the girl.

“Fuyuppe! Is that you?” Everyone stared in confusion at the two, Fubuki caught in an awkward position as the healer’s hand was still on his forehead. 

“Huh?!” Only one person knew her childhood nickname, but that person wasn’t a king. Not one she knew of at least, as they’d met once when she was on distant holiday, but still, those telltale round cheeks and bright eyes...it couldn’t be-!

“Endou?! Is that you? You’re a king?!” 

“Um.” Fubuki finally spoke up, unable to stand a hand on his forehead any longer, but before he could speak any further, a loud growl emanated from his empty stomach. Now everyone was staring at him, and he wished that he’d never thought of speaking up at all. 

“Oh silly me, you must be starving! How do you feel? Up to eat in the mess hall?” The kind healer ran her hands over his back and shoulders, noting how he felt warm and whole. “I’ll get you a coat to put on, you won’t have time to change with how hungry you sound!” She began to walk over to the nearby linen closet, before suddenly turning to face them all.

“And before I forget, just call me Fuyuka! Not...what King Endou called me just now.” With that, she bustled off, leaving everyone to now shake their king down for answers.

“She’s just a childhood friend!” Endou protested, trying to absolve himself of all accusations of flirting with random women. “I haven’t seen her in years! I didn’t even know she worked here or was in this country!” 

“Well, at least that means we have a friend in this country,” Kidou reached over and patted his king’s shoulder. “How are the rest of you feeling? Up for lunch?”

“Honestly, I was starving too, so don’t feel bad, Fubuki.” Kazemaru grinned and patted his fellow knight’s back. “And I’m glad to see you’re feeling well enough to complain for food, even if your stomach had to do it for you.” Before Fubuki could protest, Fuyuka reappeared with a warm coat that he slipped on. Slippers were provided for him, as one of his boots had been damaged beyond repair. 

“It looked freshly slashed, but your leg was fine!” Fuyuka noted as she led them towards the doorway. “I was on duty that day, but off the next, so I’m glad you all are awake and well. There were no injuries on any of you, but you all were sleeping so deeply!” 

They stepped out into the hallway, and Fubuki gasped as he saw the brilliant mosaics that spanned the inner building walls. The outpost was old, and parts of it had been built with mudwall that had been prime decoration space for mosaics to be laid. Bits of broken pottery and tile in a rainbow of colors shaped illustrations across the walls, but one section seemed to glow even brighter than the rest, lit by a shaft of light that fell down from the open windows above. 

Fubuki walked forward, staring at the pearlescent white tile, pieces broken into the shape of scales and carefully affixed to the wall. Matte white tile was used in long slivers to imitate feathers, and even longer slivers of pottery brushed with glistening gold detailed long hair that seemed to float through the scene. He reached up and held his breath, brushing a finger against the largest piece of pottery, a bright ruby red disk that made up the mosaic dragon’s eye. 

“Oh! Be careful, it’s quite old.” Fuyuka hurried over and worried over the great mosaic, unmoving even after Fubuki’s touch.

“Is this...who is this?” Fubuki asked, knowing, deep down inside, who it already was.

“That’s one of our many gods!” The eager countrywoman explained to the rest of the foreigners who clustered around the wall to take a better look. “He’s called the Fire Dragon, and is the god who guards the mountain pass and ensures that travelers make it through safely. Stories here say he can summon golden flames at will and fly through the sky with his six wings. He appears as a dragon most of the time, but in some stories, he takes other forms!” She smiled, looking at the mosaic she passed everyday. There were many other gods depicted in the mosaics here, but this one seemed to always have the strongest aura, as he was so closeby. 

“I see, a god, huh.” Fubuki softly spoke as he looked at the great white dragon that seemed to fly through billowing golden flames on the wall in front of him. Shimmering gold hair framed its sleek body and caught on the six feathered wings that splayed across the entire mosaic. And at the very core was a ruby eye that seemed to peer directly into his soul. 

Turning, he saw that all of his companions had varying expressions of shock on their faces. Kazemaru looked extremely pale and was slightly clutching his stomach. Gouenji’s brows had furrowed to an impossible extent as his eyes darted along the mosaic, following the trail of golden flames back to the ones in his memory. Kidou’s eyes were unreadable but his prolonged silence spoke volumes. Endou’s mouth was slightly open, before it suddenly turned into a grin and he gave his advisor a friendly slap on the back. 

“See! I told you they’re nice and would take care of us!” Endou’s laugh echoed through the hallways and Fuyuka hid a small smile at how open Endou still was. 

“If you’re interested, there’s a temple for him here, since he’s the reigning god of this area.” Fuyuka offered, wondering if foreigners would be interested in their local culture. She’d heard they didn’t believe in gods there, something she couldn’t truly understand when the gods were all around them. 

“I think…,” Kidou slowly spoke. “It might be a good idea to visit the temple, and leave some offerings. Seeing as we safely got through the pass….” _With a veil of golden flame, and none of us harmed after thieves attacked us in the night._

“I think that’s a good idea,” Fubuki whispered, forgetting the hunger that had caused them to walk out earlier. Only Aphrodi’s parting words lingered in his mind, and he wondered if the old god would be wandering near the temple in the night.

_Perhaps we’ll meet again, Fubuki, if you come find me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Burn, Gazel, and Gran are found alive and confused in a ditch right on the other side of the mountain peak. After some bickering, they head home with a strange urge to live an honest life from now on.  
> \---  
> This one was fun to write, playing heavily with the passage and perception of time. If you felt the need to shake down Aphrodi for answers by the third night I've done my job. Thank you for reading!  
> \---  
> You can find me and the rest of my entries etc. on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/kuroekoo) or... my [Tumblr](https://kuroeko.tumblr.com/) !


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